With slam under belt, Tiger can relax a little

Posted: Thursday, April 11, 2002

AUGUSTA -- How's this for a refreshing change of pace for Tiger Woods? They asked him about red meat and blonde au pairs. They asked him about course changes and John Daly's comeback. They asked him about Charles Howell's funky wardrobe.

Those were just a few of the topics the defending Masters Tournament champion addressed at his news conference Tuesday afternoon. Last year, it was his pressure-packed pursuit of the career Grand Slam that was the most pressing question. This year, the focus was fluff, and, no, they weren't digging up dirt on the firing of former caddie Mike "Fluff" Cowan two years ago.

"It's a lot easier this year because I don't have to answer the questions at every tournament site of the year leading up into the event," Woods said in reference to last year's Grand Slam chase. "I understood it, but it became a little bit on the annoying side because it's the same question again and again. This year the talk isn't about going after four in a row. It's about the course changes."

Even those sweeping changes still suit Woods.

"The player to look at is the number one-ranked player in the world, Tiger," Phil Mickelson said. "He's the guy that everybody has got to watch out for, and given his length and accuracy and distance control, he's going to be the guy to beat."

Nine holes have been lengthened since Woods captured his second Masters last year with a two-stroke win over David Duval and three over Mickelson.

This year, Woods says he still hits the same clubs off all the tees. While he may find himself pulling a longer iron on the redesigned holes, the effects are minimal. Instead of a sand wedge approach on 18, Woods says the National's finishing hole now requires anywhere between a 5- and 7-iron.

And now more than ever, Woods says power and accuracy are important.

"The golf course definitely favors a guy that hits the ball further, but you have to hit the ball straight, too," Woods said. "You just can't bomb it away with the intent that any drive you can make birdie or par from like you used to in the past."

But for each serious query posed on the changes, Woods also was asked questions of equal silliness.

When asked whether he planned to thank Jesper Parnevik for introducing him to his former nanny, Elin Nordegren, Woods replied: "I'll tell you one thing. I'm not going to throw a tournament down the stretch for him."

He even discussed a recent wager with friend Jerry Chang over who could go the longest without eating red meat.

As for Augusta native Howell's Parnevik-inspired garb, Woods was asked whether he would ever be caught dead in such an outfit.